ESPN College Football

Don’t call what you're wearing an outfit. Don’t ever say your car is broke.
Don’t sing with a fake British accent. Don’t act like your family’s a joke.
Have fun, but stay clear of the needle. Call home on your sister’s birthday.
Don’t tell them you’re bigger than Jesus. Don’t give it away.

• Keola Antolin and the other Arizona running backs did OK in the opener.
• With Missouri and ESPN coming to town Friday, Arizona State LB Vontaze Burfict will have the spotlight: Does he step up or does he falter? Injured CB Omar Bolden keeps himself busy.
• There's reason for how at California after QB Zach Maynard was solid in his first start. A post-Fresno State review.
• Colorado's biggest concern is the struggle of its offensive line at Hawaii. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy vows improvement.
• No word from Oregon on the status of LB Kiko Alonso, CB Cliff Harris and RB Kenjon Barner.
• Does Oregon State have a QB controversy? Another take on that.
• It wasn't all good from Stanford.
• The status of UCLA QB Kevin Prince is uncertain after he suffered a concussion and a shoulder sprain. Grading the Bruins.
• USC RB Dillon Baxter isn't happy. Grading the Trojans.
• Utah gets ready to visit USC with heavy hearts. The Utes debut wasn't impressive, so what have they got for the Trojans?
• Washington's pass defense needs to get better against Hawaii. Cheer up Huskies, you're 1-0, that's what matters.
• Washington State coach Paul Wulff regrets the bad luck, not the decision to play QB Jeff Tuel, who fractured his clavicle in the opener. While the Tuel injury is bad, being 1-0 is good.
• Sometimes reports of doomsday are premature.

You've got to look at the guy next to you, look into his eyes. Now I think you're going to see a guy who will go that inch with you. You're gonna see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team, because he knows when it comes down to it you're gonna do the same for him. That's a team, gentlemen, and either, we heal, now, as a team, or we will die as individuals. That's football guys, that's all it is. Now, what are you gonna do?

• Arizona running back Keola Antolin is rested and ready.
• Five things to watch in Arizona State's opener against UC Davis.
• California is healthy as it puts in final prep for Fresno State. Fans are excited about the freshmen.
• Colorado is concerned about Hawaii's defense. The Buffs pick up a quarterback transfer.
• Oregon has a big advantage against LSU at quarterback, where Darron Thomas is ready to lead. Is Oregon good because of its uniforms? Interesting analysis of the Ducks D vs. the LSU O: Note the line about the quarterbacks who have beaten Oregon the past two years: Kellen Moore, Andrew Luck, Terrelle Pryor and Cam Newton.
• Quarterback Ryan Katz is Oregon State's glue guy. Some Beavers notes.
• Andrew Luck isn't afraid to embrace the nerd inside him, at least if by "nerd" you mean "well-rounded, smart, humble."
• Houston quarterback Case Keenum will keep UCLA's cornerbacks busy. Meet the surprise starter at one safety spot.
• USC quarterback Matt Barkley has big goals. Lane Kiffin is worried about Minnesota.
• Utah quarterback Jordan Wynn isn't turning into a hippie; he's paying tribute to his grandmother. The Utes dress for success.
• Meet the man in the middle of Washington's defense.
• Washington State's redshirt freshmen are eager for action. A tight end might be ready to help the Cougs.

Eighth in a series looking at potential dream and nightmare scenarios for all Pac-12 teams.

Understand: These are not predictions. They are extreme scenarios and pieces of fiction. You can read last season's versions here.

We're going in reverse order of my post-spring power rankings (which might not be identical to my preseason power rankings).

Up next: Arizona

It was an epic hit, one that won't be soon forgotten in Tucson. Or by Oklahoma State's receiver Justin Blackmon.

The Cowboys took the opening kickoff and immediately drove to the Arizona 33. Quarterback Brandon Weeden was 4-for-4 on the drive, with three passes going to his All-American receiver. On second and 2, Weeden found Blackmon racing across the middle.

Shhhhhmackkk!

Blackmon not only was decleated by Wildcats 220-pound safety Marquis Flowers, but his helmet flew 15 yards and then rolled to the feet of Oklahoma State coach coach Mike Gundy. Gundy had excused Blackmon's showboating in the Cowboys 36-10 win over Arizona in the Alamo Bowl by saying Blackmon "was having a little fun, and proving his ankle was back to normal."

Gundy doesn't immediately see the helmet because he's watching Trevin Wade sprint 81 yards the other way for a Wildcats touchdown. As Wade arrives in the endzone, Arizona safety Robert Golden hands the helmet to Gundy, "Hey, on the plus-side, his ankle looks great!"

Nick Foles passes for 425 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-28 win, the debut of the "Air-Zona" attack. Six different receivers catch at least five passes, with Juron Criner leading the way with nine receptions for 120 yards.

The best news: Five new starters on the offensive line playing their first road game yield just one sack. And in the fourth quarter, they prove capable run blockers as Keola Antolin finishes with 98 yards on the ground.

"It was a clean hit; it gave me goose bumps," Arizona coach Mike Stoops says. "Hey, are those Ferragamo loafers? Those are sharp!"

The Wildcats lose in overtime to Stanford, but come back to shock No. 1 Oregon 38-37 on a 55-yard field goal from Alex Zendejas with 10 seconds remaining.

"We can't have a classic letdown game at USC," Foles says.

The Wildcats have a classic letdown game at USC, losing 33-28, as the Trojans sack Foles three times.

"I'm never happy with losing, but I thought we played with good effort," says a philosophical Stoops. "We're 3-2 having played four teams ranked in the top 15. We played our tails off in both losses and played competitive games. I like this team. It's got fight. We've emerged from a brutal stretch and I can't help but believe we're a good team."

The Wildcats make a statement the next weekend at Oregon State, ripping the Beavers 45-21. They rise to No. 17 in both polls.

"Fair to say Arizona is the best 4-2 team team in the nation?" asks ESPN's Chris Fowler. "They've beaten two top-10 teams and lost to No. 1 Stanford and No. 12 USC by a combined five points."

"Their schedule ahead softens up substantially," replies Kirk Herbstreit. "We'll get the measure of the Wildcats over the next few weeks. Only a handful of teams could have done better than 4-2 with that early schedule."

The Wildcats rock UCLA 41-28. Air-Zona overcomes the elements in a 33-28 win at Washington. In a critical showdown with Utah, the Wildcats score 30 in the second half to win 48-35. That puts the 10th-ranked Wildcats in the South Division driver's seat. If they win-out, they win the division.

But they fall at Colorado, a shocking result considering the Buffaloes' struggling secondary. Foles is picked off twice and sacked four times.

"Give credit to Colorado; they took it to us," Stoops says. "I'm not going use the 'looking ahead' excuse. But I believe in these guys. We've still got a lot to play for."

Before the Wildcats take the field at Arizona State, they learn that Washington State has upset Utah. The winner in Tempe wins the South and goes to the Pac-12 championship game.

The Wildcats gather.

Stoops begins: "We've been through a lot together this season, men. Not everything has gone our way, but we've taken the measure of ourselves and what I know is that you guys have fought all the way and that is all I can ask. Tonight, all you can ask of yourself it to fully invest all your abilities in a 100 percent effort every play. That's your mind, that's your body, and that's your emotions, your want-to. We don't like these guys. They don't like us. The stakes are big. No need to hide from that. I like that. That's why we work so hard. Look around this room, though. That's what all of this is about, this season, this game, all the work we've put in. The guys in this room. Let's go out there and sell out for each other. Make them feel us. Guys ... there are going to a lot of tears in Tempe tonight."

Late in the fourth quarter, with the score tied at 21-21 and the Wildcats on their 33, Keola Antolin takes a handoff and sees no room on the right side. He reverses course, yields five yards in the Wildcats backfield and tries to sprint to the left sideline, hoping that he can out-run the over-pursuit. Sun Devils linebacker Vontaze Burfict recovers quickly and takes a beeline for him.

Shhhhhmackkk!

That is until Foles comes from nowhere to flatten Burfict.

Antolin goes the distance. The Wildcats win the Territorial Cup back. And they win the South. They then blast Lousiana-Lafayette in the season finale while resting their starters.

In the Pac-12 title game, the Wildcats shock No. 1 Stanford and earn the program's first-ever trip to the Rose Bowl, where they beat No. 8 Nebraska, 33-28.

The Wildcats finish 11-3 and ranked sixth.

"How am I going to celebrate?" Stoops says to a reporter. "I've got this Chteau Latour I've been saving -- premier grand cru classé -- that I'm going to open tonight. Then I'm going to tour wine country and grab a bite to eat at the French Laundry. After that, maybe some shopping at Barney's. Oh! And I'll catch up on all the great things on the Pac-12 blog!"

Andrus Peat, Davonte Neal, D.J. Foster and Reggie Daniels commit to Arizona. That convinces quarterback Connor Brewer to decommit from Texas and sign with the Wildcats, whose recruiting class ranks 12th in the country.

Worst case

Looked at rationally, the 1-4 start shouldn't have been that much of a surprise: Oklahoma State, Stanford, Oregon and USC were nationally-ranked teams. The Wildcats had questions, most particularly a completely rebuilt offensive line that gets exposed during the rugged early slate.

But losing 28-24 at Oregon State quickly put the season on the brink.

"We've got to stick together," says Foles, who'd already been sacked 21 times. "We've still got a lot to play for."

After a bye week, the Wildcats out slug UCLA in a 41-35 win, but they fall at Washington and lose at home in overtime to Utah. Stoops throws a fit during the second overtime and is assessed a critical unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that sets up the Utes winning touchdown.

A column in the Arizona Daily Star questions whether Stoops, despite "making the program respectable again," had plateaued and the Wildcats were headed back to the dregs.

Foles throws three touchdown passes as the Wildcats win at Colorado. Up next: Arizona State.

"We've got plenty of motivation," Stoops said. "They're our rivals and if we beat them they probably don't win the South Division."

But it's all Sun Devils, as Burfict terrorizes Foles, and Brock Osweiler throws four touchdown passes in a 40-24 victory.

Arizona State then upsets No. 1 Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game and beats Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. The Sun Devils finish 12-2 and ranked fourth.

Burfict announces he's returning for his senior season, "to complete the growing up process and get my degree. And to terrorize the Wildcats another season."

The Wildcats are sloppy but manage to slip Louisiana-Lafayette in a near-empty Arizona Stadium to finish 4-8.

Stoops is hired by the Houston Texans.

"I put a lot of thought into this; I did a lot of research," says athletic director Greg Byrne. "And what I concluded is that John Mackovic didn't get a fair shot here before and is the right man to lead the Wildcats to our first Rose Bowl."

The Finley twins -- and here -- spontaneously mutate into four people.

Look, the Pac-12 is the conference of quarterbacks. Everybody knows that. No other conference even approaches the talent the Pac-12 has at the position in 2011.

Stanford's Andrew Luck, USC's Matt Barkley and Arizona's Nick Foles each could be first-round NFL draft picks next spring. Luck is almost certain to go No. 1 overall. Oregon's Darron Thomas, Oregon State's Ryan Katz, Utah's Jordan Wynn and Washington State's Jeff Tuel also are experienced, talented guys with plenty of upside.

So the Pac-12's position of power is, obviously, quarterback.

But don't sleep on the running backs, either.

The conference welcomes back five backs who eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark last fall, including Oregon's Heisman Trophy finalist and Doak Walker Award winner, LaMichael James. That crew includes Washington's Chris Polk, Colorado's Rodney Stewart, UCLA's Johnathan Franklin and Stanford's Stepfan Taylor. Those are five backs who ranked among the top-38 in the nation in rushing last fall, including three in the top 13.

(And, by the way, if Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers and California's Shane Vereen hadn't opted to enter the NFL draft a year early, the conference also would include the nation's No. 21 and 23 rushers from 2010).

Further, only California, Oregon State, Utah and Washington State have questions at the position. USC is stacked with talented backs, whether senior Marc Tyler (913 yards, nine TDs in 2010) comes back from suspension or not. Arizona State's Cameron Marshall (787 yards, nine TDs) is one of the most underrated players in the conference, and Arizona's Keola Antolin (668, seven TDs in 2010) has rushed for 1,830 yards and scored 21 TDs in three seasons.

Further, many of the backups -- Oregon's Kenjon Barner, Washington's Jesse Callier, Arizona State's Deantre Lewis or Kyle Middlebrooks, Stanford's Anthony Wilkerson and UCLA's Derrick Coleman (or Malcolm Jones/Jordan James) -- are talented and experienced (other than James, a redshirt freshman).

So conference of quarterbacks, conference of running backs -- both are positions of power.

Perhaps the Pac-12 in 2011 is now the Conference of Backfields?

The Pac-12 placed seven players on the 52-man watch list for the Doak Walker Award, which is given annually to the nation's best running back.

Oregon's LaMichael James won the award last year.

You can view the entire list here.

Here are the Pac-12 players on it.

Keola Antolin (Sr.), Arizona
Johnathan Franklin (Jr.), UCLA
LaMichael James (Jr.), Oregon
Cameron Marshall (Jr.), Arizona State
Chris Polk (Jr.), Washington
Rodney Stewart (Sr.), Colorado
Stepfan Taylor (Jr.), Stanford

Here's a thought: Seven of 12 teams place a guy on the list, but none from USC. That feels unusual.

The Pac-12 features another strong crop of running backs -- five returning 1,000-yard rushers -- but there are also a few teams facing uncertainty at the position.

So how does it stack up?

Great shape

[+] Enlarge
Jonathan Ferrey/Getty ImagesLaMichael James leads a talented running back corps that has both experience and depth.
• Oregon: It's not just that the Ducks have Heisman Trophy finalist and unanimous All-American LaMichael James coming back, it's that they have Kenjon Barner and Lache Seastrunk to help carry the load. When you toss in touted incoming freshman De’Anthony Thomas -- play or redshirt? -- Oregon may have the best backfield in the nation.
• Washington: Chris Polk is a workhorse who gained 1,415 yards last season -- he's also a good receiver -- and there's good depth with Jesse Callier and Deontae Cooper, who sat out last year with a knee injury.
• Stanford: Stepfan Taylor lead the way with 1,137 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2010, but the depth is phenomenal with Anthony Wilkerson, Tyler Gaffney and Jeremy Stewart.
• UCLA: Not unlike Stanford, there's a returning 1,000-yard rusher -- Johnathan Franklin -- and great depth: Derrick Coleman, Malcolm Jones and Jordan James.
• Colorado: Rodney Stewart, at 5-foot-6, 175 pounds, is a diminutive workhorse. He rushed for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2010. The only issue here is depth, though redshirt freshman Tony Jones had a nice spring.

Good shape

• Arizona State: The Sun Devils lack an elite back but they have good depth and experience returning, topped by Cameron Marshall (787 yards and nine touchdowns in 2010) and Deantre Lewis (539 yards). There's also the versatile Kyle Middlebrooks.
• USC: Marc Tyler rushed for 913 yards and nine touchdowns but he's got some off-field issues. There's good talent on the depth chart behind him, though: Curtis McNeal, D.J. Morgan and Dillon Baxter. The O-line is a bigger issue for the running game.
• Arizona: Keola Antolin is a solid first option, if he can stay healthy, but the knee injury to Greg Nwoko means there's no experienced depth. Daniel Jenkins had some nice carries this spring, and expectations are high for incoming freshman Ka'Deem Carey.

We'll see

• California: Strange to see Cal down here, eh? What in the name of J.J., Marshawn, Jahvid and Vereen is going on? Isi Sofele is No. 1 on the post-spring depth chart, but it's wide open after that, with incoming freshmen expected to be immediately in the mix.
• Oregon State: The Beavers have experience with Ryan McCants, but he's struggled to break through. Sophomore Jovan Stevenson, redshirt freshman Malcolm Marable and grayshirt freshman Terron Ward are options, as is Jordan Jenkins, who missed spring with a shoulder injury.
• Utah: The Utes lost their top three backs from 2010, and their top three backs heading into 2011 have no experience. But John White, Harvey Langi and Thretton Palamo showed plenty of promise this spring. It's just we don't know what they'll do when the lights go on in Pac-12 play.
• Washington State: Logwone Mitz and Carl Winston are back -- they combined for 353 yards in 2010 -- and hopes are high for Ricky Galvin, who was injured early in the Cougars opening game last fall. But this is not a position of strength for the Cougars.

Previous reviews

Quarterback

ARIZONA

2010 overall record: 7-6

2010 conference record: 4-5

Returning starters

Offense: 5, Defense: 5, punter/kicker: kicker

Top returners

QB Nick Foles, WR Juron Criner, LB Paul Vassallo, DT Justin Washington, CB Trevin Wade

Key losses

C Colin Baxter, DE Brooks Reed, DE Ricky Elmore

2010 statistical leaders (*returning starter)

Rushing: Keola Antolin* (668)

Passing: Nick Foles* (3,191)

Receiving: Juron Criner* (1,233)

Tackles: Paul Vassallo* (102)

Sacks: Ricky Elmore (11)

Interceptions: Joseph Perkins, Adam Hall*, Shaquille Richardson* (2)

Spring answers

1. Set at QB: With starter Nick Foles and backups Matt Scott and Bryson Beirne, no team in the conference will be as comfortable at quarterback. Foles is a three-year starter and All-American candidate who likely will be a high NFL draft pick. The hope is to redshirt Scott so he can return in 2012 and compete for the starting job with Rutgers transfer Tom Savage, but if Scott is needed he can seamlessly step in. Toss in the veteran Beirne, and you have a troika that combined for 31 completions, 380 yards and four scores in a 60-play scrimmage.

2. Deep at receiver: This is without question the deepest corps of receivers in the Pac-12 and one of the best in the nation, starting with All-American candidate Juron Criner. Texas transfer Dan Buckner provides another big target, and David Douglas, David Roberts, Richard Morrison, Terrence Miller, Austin Hill, Tyler Slavin and Garic Wharton provide plenty of options for Foles. Yes, the Wildcats should be able to pass this fall.

3. Secondary not really an issue: Free safety Adam Hall is a budding star, so you can't write off his knee injury this spring, but the Wildcats are fairly stacked in the secondary. Robert Golden can move back to strong safety from cornerback, while Trevin Wade, Jonathan McKnight and Shaquille Richardson give the defense three strong options at cornerback. Marquis Flowers is a rising star at safety. Of course, it would be nice to get Hall back at some point this season.

Fall questions

1. Young on the offensive line: There was optimism about the five new offensive line starters this spring, but, heck, it's five new offensive line starters. That's not an easy thing in the Pac-12. It typically takes a young line time to develop chemistry, so it will be interesting to see how the process goes for the Cats. Redshirt freshman tackles Mickey Baucus and Fabbians Ebbele looked solid, as did junior Trace Biskin and sophomore Chris Putton at the guards. Junior center Kyle Quinn is the only guy with a start to his credit (one, in the Alamo Bowl).

2. Help wanted at linebacker: The Wildcats welcomed back all three starting linebackers from 2010 until Jake Fisher went down late in the spring game with a knee injury. That brought up an issue: Sure, the starters were back but there was little to no depth behind them, particularly after two backups who were expected to return in 2011 quit the team. That means incoming freshmen will be thrown immediately into the mix: Rob Hankins, Hank Hobson and Domonique Petties.

3. Edge rush? The Wildcats are replacing three defensive ends who were selected in the NFL draft, including Brooks Reed and Ricky Elmore, multi-year starters who combined for 17.5 sacks last fall. Converted linebacker C.J. Parish was a breakout player this spring, and Mohammed Usman is solid. Still, just how good will the edge pressure be with this much inexperience?

TUCSON, Ariz. -- It was just a short, shells -- shorts and shoulder pads -- practice Thursday at Arizona, but even then there was plenty of "wow" in the downfield passing game.

No team in the Pac-12 can offer up two quarterbacks as good as Nick Foles and Matt Scott. No team in the Pac-12 can match the Wildcats depth and talent at receiver.

That's the good news. Questions, though, remain, starting with five new starters on the offensive line.

"We're going to have to throw to set up the run, I don't think there's any question about that," coach Mike Stoops said.

As for folks questioning the line, Stoops understands and has no problem with it. He hopes it bothers them.

"They'll hear about it," Stoops said. "I think that will serve as motivation."

On defense, the Wildcats must replace defensive ends Brooks Reed, Ricky Elmore and D'Aundre Reed. And it's not good that talented safety Adam Hall is standing on the sidelines with a surgically repaired ACL.

Some notes from Arizona practice -- two days before Saturday's spring game -- after chats with Stoops, offensive coordinator Seth Littrell and defensive coordinator Tim Kish.

• The plan remains to redshirt Scott, if possible. He's certainly not going to enter a game late in the fourth quarter to take a knee. But if Foles gets hurt, Scott would be the guy. He'd probably start for a majority of teams in the Pac-12.
• At running back, Daniel Jenkins has had "one of the best springs of any of our young players," Stoops said. He looks like Keola Antolin's backup. Both Stoops and Littrell, however, expect incoming freshmen Ka'Deem Cary and Jared Baker to perhaps push into the mix.
• Receiver? Well, there's Juron Criner -- an All-American candidate -- David Douglas, Texas transfer Dan Buckner, David Roberts, Richard Morrison, Tyler Slavin, Austin Hill, Terrence Miller and speedster Garic Wharton. Suffice it to say, the Wildcats will be able to spread the field in 2011.
• As it stands now, the starting offensive line goes line this: LT Mickey Baucus, LG Chris Putton, C Kyle Quinn, RG Trace Biskin, RT Fabbians Ebbele. Only Quinn has started a game -- the Alamo Bowl last December -- and both tackles are redshirt freshmen. On the plus side, if you want to look ahead, no lineman on the two-deep is a senior. Four are freshmen, two are sophomores and four are juniors.
• H-back Taimi Tutogi hinted at great things last preseason but was ultimately disappointing. There's a feeling that he could break through in 2011. While he's not an elite blocker by any stretch, the 260 pounder isn't easy to deal with when he has the ball in space.
• On defense, the ends are C.J. Parrish and Mohammed Usman. Both are listed at 245 pounds, which means the Wildcats will be much smaller at end compared to a year ago. On the depth chart, redshirt freshman Dan Pettinato and converted tackle Dominique Austin are listed, but JC transfer Lamar De Rego is likely to immediately jump into the mix.
• Kish called Parrish "a pleasant surprise...We didn't think he'd pick it up as quick as he did and be as effective as he is."
• Inside at defensive tackle, there's solid depth. Justin Washington, who's sitting out with a shoulder injury, and Sione Tuihalamaka are the starters and Willie Mobley and Kirifi Taula are the backups. Aiulua Fanene is a fifth option.
• Stoops said the Wildcats "are much better inside," and Kish made an interesting point about last fall. Because Reed and Elmore were so good at pinching down from the outside against the pass, while the tackles were limited and not getting much inside push, the Wildcats often created passing lanes for opposing quarterbacks. Passing lanes and running lanes, which some of you Wildcats fans might remember quarterbacks scrambling through, such as Arizona State's Brock Osweiler.
• The good news is all three starting linebackers are back. The bad news is a lack of depth, particularly after R.J. Young -- the fourth LB -- and Trevor Erno quit. Presently, walkon Bilal Muhammed -- "He's damn good," said Kish -- is the backup at two spots and undersized though athletic Kyle Benson is No. 2 behind Jake Fisher on the outside. Both Kish and Stoops expect help from incoming freshmen Rob Hankins, Dominique Petties and Hank Hobson.
• The good news in the secondary is the renewed focus of cornerback Trevin Wade, who had a poor junior year after earning accolades as a sophomore. Stoops and Kish don't hold back when talking about Wade's struggles in 2010, but both see a different player this spring: "He took a lot for granted (last year)," Stoops said. "He has a different attitude, a different level of effort (this spring)."
• Along with Wade at corner, there's Jonathan McKnight, brother of former USC RB Joe McKnight and perhaps the best pure cover corner, and Shaquille Richardson, who's sitting out with a shoulder injury.
• Robert Golden has moved back to safety from cornerback -- he's started extensively at both spots -- after Hall went down, where he's beside free safety Marquis Flowers. Redshirt freshamn Jourdan Grandon is making a bid to be the nickel, though there's clearly competition for backup roles. Neither Mark Watley nor Josh Robbins has made a decisive push for playing time. And there's some hope that Hall could make a fast recovery and be back by October.

The Pac-10 produced six 1,000-yard rushers in 2010 -- seven if you include Colorado's Rodney Stewart -- and all seven could have returned in 2011 if Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers and California's Shane Vereen had not opted to enter the NFL draft a year early.

Still, the returning collection of rushers is impressive.

Here's the list. Each is good enough to earn All-American and/or All-Conference consideration.

1. LaMichael James, Oregon: James was a Heisman Trophy finalist, a unanimous All-American and was the Doak Walker Award winner as the nation's top running back. He also has a fine singing voice and cooks a mean batch of oatmeal cookies. Rushed for 1,731 yards and 21 TDs in 2010. Only thing that might cramp his numbers is a backfield that is crowded with talent. Two 1,000-yards rushers in 2011?

2. Chris Polk, Washington: Polk may be the favorite to lead the Pac-12 in rushing in 2011. Why? For one, the Huskies are breaking in a new quarterback, so it's unlikely they will pass 30 times per game. Second, Polk is a workhorse -- see 1,415 rushing yards in 2010. Third, the offensive line figures to be improved after surging late last year. Still, there is good depth behind Polk, so he might not get 260 carries again.

3. Rodney Stewart, Colorado: Stewart rushed for 1,318 yards last year, his 109.8 yards per game ranking 12th in the nation. "Speedy" -- that's what Stewart is called in Boulder -- at 5-foot-6, 175 pounds, is built a bit like Jacquizz Rodgers. Coach Jon Embree wasn't thrilled with the depth behind Stewart this spring, which could mean plenty of touches. But can Stewart stay healthy with another 290 carries, particularly in a 13-game season with no off weekends?

4. Johnathan Franklin, UCLA: Franklin rushed for 1,127 yards last year and would have had a lot more if not for continuing fumbling issues. And if Franklin holds onto the ball this fall, it's a good bet that he'll be in the All-Conference mix.

5. Stepfan Taylor, Stanford: Taylor quietly rushed for 1,137 yards last year and has shined this spring -- coach David Shaw calls him a "stud." The Cardinal, however, is deep in the backfield. Taylor likely will share touches, particularly with talented sophomore Anthony Wilkerson.

And who are the top candidates to crash the 1,000-yard party? Consider:

Keola Antolin, Arizona: He no longer has to share the backfield with Nic Grigsby. But can he stay healthy?

Cameron Marshall, Arizona State: Marshall likely will split carries with Deantre Lewis, but Lewis has missed spring practices after being the victim of a random shooting in his hometown.

Isi Sofele, California: Cal always has a 1,000-yard rusher, but this year there's plenty of uncertainty in the backfield. Sofele is a clear No. 1, according to coach Jeff Tedford, but a strong incoming recruiting class might produce a challenge.

Terron Ward, Oregon State: Ward is a 5-foot-7, 190-pound grayshirt from powerhouse program De La Salle, and I know little about him. But Jacquizz Rodgers is high on him and that's good enough for me.

D.J. Morgan, USC: Marc Tyler rushed for 913 yards last year, but he struggles to stay healthy. Coach Lane Kiffin -- and reporters -- are gushing about Morgan. Of course, last preseason, everybody was gushing about Dillon Baxter.

Thretton Palamo, Utah: The former rugby star has been turning heads in Salt Lake City and may be the surprise winner of the RB competition.

Rickey Galvin, Washington State: Galvin, who broke his arm in the Cougars season-opener last year at Oklahoma State, is the Cougars most dynamic back. The Cougs passing game should be strong, which might create opportunities in the running game when defenses over-commit.

Injuries are a drag, but they are one of the key elements of spring football. Avoiding them is not unlike adding a couple of five-star recruits.

• At Arizona, Ryan Finley reports safety Adam Hall and running back Greg Nwoko will undergo knee surgery next Tuesday. Just last week, former Wildcats co-defensive coordinator Greg Brown -- now running Colorado's defense -- was raving to me about Hall's potential. The prognosis is both players will be out seven months. The Wildcats are deep in the secondary, but Nwoko's loss puts pressure on the backfield, where injury-prone Keola Antolin is the starter.
• At Arizona State, there's no official word on the severity of knee injuries to cornerback Omar Bolden and receiver T.J. Simpson, but the general feeling isn't terribly positive. Reports Doug Haller, both injuries "are considered serious, and possibly season ending." The Sun Devils probably can find some answers at receiver, and there's experience at cornerback, but replacing a first-team All-Pac-10 cornerback is not easy to do.
• At UCLA, the news is better. Offensive lineman Jeff Baca, who broke his ankle last week, could return "sometime in August," according to the Orange County Register, which could mean a full-speed return in September. Baca, a fourth-year junior, was a projected starter at tackle.
• At Oregon, defensive end Terrell Turner, the lone returning starter on the Ducks' D-line, was on crutches with his lower left leg immobilized in a cast. Coach Chip Kelly previously told the Pac-12 blog that Turner would miss spring practice with a "leg" injury, so this is consistent with the pre-spring prognosis. Dion Jordan has stepped in for Turner with the first-team defense.

And I said, "What about breakfast at Tiffany's?"
She said, "I think I remember the film?
And as I recall, I think, we both kinda liked it."
And I said, "Well, that's the one thing we've got."

• Arizona needs running back Keola Antolin to stay healthy. And this receiver to live up to high expectations.
• Arizona State runnning back Deantre Lewis is recovering from a gunshot wound.
• Colorado offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy gets Buffaloes fans fired up.
• Previewing California's defensive backs.
• Oregon again will be eyeballing No. 1 as it begins spring practices. A spring practice primer.
• Quarterback Ryan Katz is ready to lead at Oregon State.
• No reason we can't post a UCLA "Football Friday" on Monday, right?
• USC's redshirt freshman quarterback Jesse Scroggins is still a work in progress. But aren't we all?
• Quarterback Tyler Shreve, battling for Utah's backup job, has been impressive this spring.
• Washington faces some questions. But is this guy the answer at tight end?

Last summer, we took a look at "three-headed monsters" -- elite combinations of quarterback, running back and receiver in the conference.

Seems reasonable that we revisit the idea this spring. (And we may revisit our revisitation this summer, when some position battles begin to clear up).

Ranking these isn't easy. The challenge is priority and value. What if a team is, say, outstanding at running back and receiver but inexperienced at quarterback? How does that measure up with a team that is merely good but also experienced at all three positions?

The only "pure" three-headed monsters in the Pac-12 are Arizona and USC, in that the Wildcats and Trojans welcome back their quarterback, leading rusher and leading receiver.

Arizona
QB Nick Foles, RB Keola Antolin, WR Juron Criner

USC
QB Matt Barkley, RB Marc Tyler, WR Robert Woods

California, Utah and Washington get "incompletes" because we have no idea who will be the starter at at least one position, though the Utes and Huskies are pretty strong at two of the spots. This summer, after spring practices have possibly created a pecking order, we'll likely be able to include them in our overall ranking.

Utah
QB Jordan Wynn, RB ?, WR DeVonte Christopher

Washington
QB ?, RB Chris Polk, WR Jermaine Kearse

California
QB ?, RB Isi Sofele, WR Marvin Jones

So, of those nine remaining, here's our ranking:

1. Stanford
QB Andrew Luck, RB Stepfan Taylor, WR Chris Owusu

The skinny: Luck is the best QB in the country. Taylor rushed for 1,137 yards and 15 TDs in 2010. Owusu, when healthy, is the Cardinal's most dangerous receiver.

2. Oregon
QB Darron Thomas, RB LaMichael James, WR Lavasier Tuinei

The skinny: James is the best RB in the country. Thomas is one of the nation's best QBs. Tuinei is a big target who caught 36 passes last year. You could flip the Cardinal and Ducks here and probably not get much argument from neutral observers. (Neutral observers, Ducks fans).

3. Arizona
QB Nick Foles, RB Keola Antolin, WR Juron Criner

The skinny: Foles and Criner are the best pass-catch combination on the list. Antolin struggled to stay healthy but he rushed for 668 yards last year.

4. USC
QB Matt Barkley, RB Marc Tyler, WR Robert Woods

The skinny: It's possible Barkley and Woods will challenge Foles and Criner for best pass-catch combination this fall -- Woods, after all, was a true freshman in 2010. Tyler struggles to stay healthy but rushed for 913 yards and nine TDs in 2010.

5. Washington State
QB Jeff Tuel, RB Logwone Mitz, WR Marquess Wilson

The skinny: Lookie here! The Cougs on a list! Wilson ranked second in the conference as a true freshman with 83.8 yards receiving per game, averaging a strong 18.3 yards per catch. Folks who pay attention know Tuel can play. Mitz was the Cougars' second-leading rusher.

6. Colorado
QB Tyler Hansen, RB Rodney Stewart, WR Paul Richardson

The skinny: Hansen is experienced -- 16 starts --and has looked good at times. Stewart rushed for 1,318 yards last season. Richardson, a UCLA transfer, caught 34 passes for 514 yards with six TDs as a true freshman and looks like a budding star.

7. Oregon State
QB Ryan Katz, RB Ryan McCants, WR Markus Wheaton

The skinny: The Beavers would look even better here if WR James Rodgers were certain to be healthy. He and Wheaton are a strong combo. Katz flashed plenty of ability last year. The issue is running back: McCants is merely the first in line to replace Jacquizz Rodgers.

8. Arizona State
QB Brock Osweiler, RB Cameron Marshall, WR Mike Willie

The skinny: This is a solid threesome that lacks star-power. Osweiler was outstanding at the end of the year when he replace an injured -- and now retired -- Steven Threet. Marshall led the Sun Devils with 787 yards rushing and nine TDs. Willie was the second-leading receiver with 36 receptions for 442 yards with six TDs.

9. UCLA
QB Richard Brehaut/Kevin Prince, RB Johnathan Franklin, WR Taylor Embree

The skinny: The Bruins maybe should have been left off this list with the "incompletes" because we don't know what will happen at QB. But Prince and Brehaut have plenty of starting experience, Franklin rushed for 1,167 yards and eight TDs -- let's not recall the fumbling issues -- and Embree has finished first or second on the Bruins in catches and receiving yards in each of his first three seasons.

Arizona kicks off the Pac-10 bowl season on Wednesday with a big test against Oklahoma State in the Valero Alamo Bowl.

The Wildcats are underdogs against a Cowboys team that was hoping for a BCS bowl berth until it lost its season finale against rival Oklahoma 47-41. The Cowboys own one of the most potent offenses in the nation. They have really only been slowed down once this year: during a visit to Kansas State when the Cowboys played was without the services of Justin Blackmon, who is only the nation's best receiver.

But let's ask this question: Who might dramatically change this game if he -- or they -- stepped up with a marquee performance?

Running backs Keola Antolin, Nic Grigsby and Greg Nwoko: This is fairly simple. What if Arizona can consistently run the ball against the Cowboys? Well, that would be a game-changer for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that it would shorten the game and help play keep-away from the potent Oklahoma State offense. Further, if the Cowboys are forced to commit more bodies to stopping the run, it also would open things up downfield for quarterback Nick Foles. The reason three guys are listed here is all three will get carries, and each brings something different to the attack. Antolin is the starter and the most consistent. Nwoko brings a power element. Grigsby is a home run threat who's struggled with injuries. Of course, these guys need the Wildcats to win battles on the line of scrimmage, but it's up to the backs to turn those creases into big plays. If this troika manages to combine for around 180 or 200 yards -- significantly more than the season average of of 135 -- then expect Arizona to be in pretty darn good shape.

My name's Louden, Louden Swain. Last week I turned 18. I wasn't ready for it. I haven't done anything yet. So I made this deal with myself. This is the year I make my mark.

• Running Back Keola Antolin has stepped up for Arizona. Every PAT is an adventure, though.
• This role player makes his mark for Arizona State. A practice report -- who's the fastest?
• Brock Mansion is excited about becoming California's quarterback.
• It appears that running back Kenjon Barner is back from his concussion and could play against Washington. Huskies invade Portland -- Take bridge. Interesting take on Oregon's offense.
• Oregon State's offensive line wants to be mean. Being a Beavers running back isn't simple.
• Plenty of questions for Stanford and Arizona. Confession: I hate doing "what if" scenarios until the final weekends because it's easy to miss a click. Or two. Jon Wilner, as usual, does a nice job here looking at Stanford and the Rose Bowl.
• UCLA quarterback Richard Brehaut tries to get comfortable.
• Is linebacker Chris Galippo re-emerging for USC? Talking points.
• Things are not good at Washington. Keith Price is stepping in for Jake Locker and he faces a big challenge.
• Despite lots of injuries, Washington State is still physical in practice.

Things are going well for Arizona's offense, which is saying something because it lost its starting quarterback when Nick Foles when down with a knee injury against Washington State.

But backup Matt Scott came off the bench and won Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against Washington, and now it appears that Foles won't be out long. He's questionable, but traveling with the team to UCLA on Saturday.

So things are feeling pretty good in Tucson. It's also not so bad to have the Pac-10's best defense. And to be ranked 15th and still in the Rose Bowl race, with a marquee game at Stanford looming on Nov. 6.

While there might have been some preseason concerns about coach Mike Stoops using co-coordinators on both sides of the ball, those are now gone.

Seth Littrell calls the offensive plays for the Wildcats, which requires a bit of tweaking for Scott, so it seemed like a good time to check in.

First of all, the offensive numbers are good, so the co-coordinator arrangement seems to be working well: Have their been any surprises in the dynamic that you didn't see coming?

Seth Littrell: No. [Offensive line coach and co-coordinator Bill] Bedenbaugh and I have been together a long time. We have a lot of the same philosophies. Our backgrounds are very similar. We're very close, on and off the football field. Nothing's changed. It's been a great relationship, not only with him but also with the rest of our staff. We are a pretty tight- knit group. We worked together and game-plan together. So there really haven't been any surprises.

You've had some struggles running the ball and protecting the QB: What's going on there?

SL: Early on, we got put in some bad situations, with penalties that put us in a lot of second and third-and-long situations, which we really had to work on. Also protection issues have involved a little bit of everybody. It hasn't been one individual group or one individual player. It's been the group as a whole. Some of it's been the offensive line. Some of it's been the running backs, missing a blitz. Some of it's been the quarterback hanging onto the ball too long, or not getting the right read. We've had to work on that the last couple of weeks and get it fixed. It's really been holding us back. With the running game, we just need to do a better job with the running backs and the offensive line up coming off the line and blocking. Also the O-line got us into the secondary a number of times and we haven't done a great job of making the safeties miss. This past week [against Washington] we did a better job of that. And also we can call a little more [running plays]. When stuff is just not going great, you've still got have confidence in the running game. So it's a little bit on everybody's part. But I think this past week, we did a lot better job of sort of hanging our hat on some of the run stuff, especially with Matt in the game. That opens up the run a little bit more because they've also got to account for him.

Tell me your first thoughts when QB Nick Foles goes down and clutches his knee?

SL: I felt bad for Nick, but I wasn't worried about [backup Matt Scott]. I've said this more than once: I have a lot of faith in Matt and what he brings to the table. He had a really good camp and spring. He came in with a lot of confidence. A lot of people don't understand, that really was a tight race for that job. We have a lot of confidence in Matt. I know he brings a little different dynamic to the game than what Foles brings. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. But we feel very comfortable with Matt, and we probably should've gotten him into the game a little bit more when Nick was playing than we did. I knew that Matt was very capable of coming in and leading this team.

Update me on Foles' status: Any chance he plays at UCLA?

SL: There is a possibility. We're day-to-day on that. I think he feels pretty good. His rehab is going well. Whether he plays on Saturday, we'll just have to see how things progress during the week [Littrell was speaking on Wednesday].

So if Matt Scott is lights-out versus the Bruins, does Foles still automatically return as the starter when he's healthy?

SL: The way I look at it is Foles won the job and it's his job. Due to injury, Matt obviously came in and had a great game this past week. Obviously, I think he is going to have a nice game again this week. But when Foles gets healthy and comes back he will become the starter again. But what this does is, now, you really find ways to use Matt in each and every game. Like I said, we probably should've played him a little bit more early on -- getting some different packages for him. It may be a situation where you could see them both in the game at the same time. Who knows?

That was going to be my next question: Some guys don't like to play two quarterbacks. So, with these complementary sets of skills, you feel comfortable playing two guys?

SL: Absolutely. Neither one of them has an ego. That's the biggest thing. If you looked at Foles the other night, he was rooting Matt on. They compete against each other, but at the same time, and they understand this is a business and this is a job and we do what's best for the offense. I think both of them have handled it very well. And they are going to continue to handle it very well. They are both great players. When Nick gets back in and is healthy, he'll be the starter. And everybody has to be ready to play at any given moment. So, that doesn't mean that just because Nick is starter we won't use Matt.

Seems like Keola Antolin has become your No. 1 running back: What does he do well?

SL: He does everything more consistently right now. Early on, he wasn't as consistent as I would've liked. The past couple of games he's really showed up. Right now, he's probably the most consistent running back I have. Whenever you're putting a guy out there and you're asking him to do a lot of different things and that's the guy you want. A guy you can trust, play after play, to do the right thing. You're right. As of right now, he deserves to play a little bit more. You've got to put the team in the best position to win. As of right now, Keola brings a lot to the table.

I've seen so many big plays this year from receiver Juron Criner: How good can he be?

SL: (Laughs) Really good. He's been banged up a little bit this year. We've just got to keep him on the field as much as possible. Even when he's not making plays, he's a threat. You always have to account for Juron. He's had some great catches for us and some great games. He's made a couple plays down the stretch when we really needed him. He's just got to continue to practice hard, try to stay healthy, and play fast every week. When he plays fast and is on top of his game, he's one of the best in the country. We've got to continue to find different ways to get him the football. And at the same time, we've got spread it around, too. Some other guys have stepped up. We've got to continue to get our other receivers to make plays. We you spread the ball around, you can't focus on one guy. But, yeah, Juron is as good as they come when he's on.

Where do you need to improve to take the offense to the proverbial next level?

SL: This past week we had great balance. You always got have great balance between the run game in the pass game. You want to spread the ball to as many different positions as you can. You don't want to be one-dimensional in the pass game or one-dimensional in the run game. You don't want to be always throwing to one guy or giving it to one guy. As long as we continue to spread the ball around and play fast the great tempo, I think that will be the biggest thing. You want a great balance. And I'm not talking about a great balance that has to be 50-50 run-pass. I'm talking about a great balance of spreading the ball around to as many different positions as we can, in as many different ways as we can.